The Wilmingtonian., 1887-07-23
SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1857.
That Corporal's Guard.

Last Tuesday in talking on politics to a
reporter in New York Henry Watterson
said:
''The Democratic party has thus far failed
to redeem its pledge to reduce the taxes and
reform the tariff. 1t has failed because a
corporals guard of Democrats in Congress,
acting with the Republicans have inter
dicted the consideration of any measure to
that end. The administration must now its
own defence, and | think 1t will, frame
tariff reform bill which will carry with it
all the weight of the party organization and
pledges; and become in Congress the test of
who are true and who are false"
Upon being asked whether the passage of
such bill is possible and whether that
SAME corporals guard of renegade Demo-
Gratis would not bob up serenely again, the
great Kentuckian remarked
That remains to be seen. If we do not
it will be no fault of ours, and we can and
will on the issue thus joined appeal to the
people. The bill SO rejected will then be-
come the Democratic platform fol the en-
sting campaign.
''The next National Democratic Conven-
tion can in this way alone be saved from a
split ON the tariff, for never again can the
party assembled in national Convention
come to an agreement upon a tariff plank
That reached at Chicago was the last and it
will remain the last, if the question is not
put out of the way by Congress-"
Upon being questioned upon the matter of
the surplus he said: at is very serious
question if we do not stop drawing so much
blood the patient will die. We must stop
it and those who represent the Democratic
administration and the Democratic majority
in Congressman who are not responsible
for the piatforms-are willing to meet the
Republicans and recalcitrant Democrats
who are responsible for ir--in liberal and
tolerant spirit. But there are even greater
evils than the surplus evi; as that is The
upas tree which bore 1.-THE tarif-will be
until it is cut down, an everything soure o.
every kind of fsca! corruption and economic
abuse, and we should not lose sight of thi
tree while stripping it of its rotten fruit"
Colonel Watterson was very emphatic
about the Hon. Samuel j. Randall, he said
"Mr. Randall should be given his jus
measure-no more and no less. He has n,
power except what bis party in the Hous,
allows him Hitherto he has figured chief,
as an obstructionist. We shall see, wher
the issue is fairly made, whethet he is
Democrat, as be claims to be, or merely
Republican masquerfding as Democrat
and kept in Congress by the Republicans 10
purposes Of their own
In regard to MIR. Randal's recent lettc
upon the tariff situation Colonel Wattersol
said he could discover in it only the ole
series Of scphisms and falsehuods which mel
of Ar, Randall's stripe rely on to bolste
their case
Upon being asked whether he could cit
any instances he said;
ITO go no further than the basis of Mi
Randall's argument, let me call your after
tion to his prettnce that lie voted agains
tariff reform because he could not get til
kind Of reform he wanted when the fac
was that he voted thrice against the consiC
eration of the subject at all and in any forl
refusing to have it come before the Housl
where, Of course, he had his constitution;
right to propose whateverhe pleased. Again
he insists that the spirit and letter, as i
puts it, of the platform on which NJ. Cley,
land was elected, must be adhered to. an
then claims that in the making of that pla
form the free traders, as he calls the me
who represented seven-eighths of the Coz
venton, were beaten ard routed. He bf
even the temerity to say that they made ;
the time confession of their complete di
comfiture. If Mr.. Randall were a man Of
clear sense of veracious responsibility
would not have the hardihood to make an
such assertion. 1t is distinctly untrue.
Sin the committee which made the pla
Rorh at Chicago Mr.. Raudalls immedia
representative was the late Mr.. Malco
Hay. On every question, first and last,
lating to the tariff, Mr. Hewitt, Mr.. Morl
son and myself-free traders, as Mr. Ra
dali insists on describing voted with Il
majority on one side, and MIR. Hay NJ
RandalNs double, on the other side a,
with the minority. And in the final sele
tiOn by the committee Of chairman to I
port the platform, which Mr. Morrison, NJ
Hewitt and their revenue reform colleagu
had made Dir. Morrison was chosen ov
Hay. I'll $, after the committee had be
adr1itly packed in advance to secure /
defeat Of the free traders, row falsely al
absnrdy claimed by Mr. Randall. b
enough Of this, Mr.. Randall is not worth it
s
A Good Suggestion,
1t is good suggestion that the Park col